One Week
by Burst.ofSILENCE
Summary: And Just like that, he opened my eyes and changed everything. Because whether he was playing the bespectacled nerd or the mysterious skater, he was someone I could truly be myself around.' AU. Roxiné
1. Monday

**Hey! I LIVE! Awesome, ain't it? Anyway, I've been toying with this idea for a long time. It's mostly following Naminé and Roxas as they go against the social hierarchy every high school would be lost without. This'll probably be about seven chapters long. So, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own KH. If I did, I'd totally have Roxas as my personal macho maid. xDDD**

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**One Week  
**_('Is it enough to make me fall in love?' )_

**Chapter One - Monday**

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_'- - it started out fairly normal, then you came along...'_

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Naminé had no idea how she got dragged into this.

It started out as a fairly simple Monday. There was no school today, since it was their foundation day. Naminé was all for just relaxing the whole day; but apparently, her best friend had other plans. Kairi had called at about nine in the morning, inviting her to an impromptu visit to Twilight Town. Her auburn-haired friend had said something about Sora and Riku wanting to check out the Twilight Town X-Games in person. Kairi was automatically part of their trip, seeing as she was a long-time friend of both boys and the steady girlfriend of one of them. But not wanting to be left out, she roped her blond friend along too.

"Please, Nami?" She whined on the phone. Naminé sighed. Nobody could say no to Kairi, not ever her.

"Fine. I'll be at the station in ten minutes." With that, she hung up and started getting ready. Pulling on a white sun dress and a pair of white sandals, she grabbed her white messenger bag and left the house, heading in the direction of Destiny Islands' train station. On the way, she saw a couple of her schoolmates waving at her and waved back, a smile plastered on her face.

Currently a junior at Destiny High, Naminé – along with Sora, Kairi and Riku - was known as one of the more popular kids at school. Many kids loved her, and even more worshiped her. At sixteen, the young woman was a beauty to behold, with naturally blond hair that reached past her shoulders and eyes as blue as the sky. Still, she managed to retain her angelic personality, despite the tempting power popularity brings.

Though, unlike her three friends, she found popularity a chore. It was tedious to always put up a front. That's the biggest downside to being popular: everyone was always watching, waiting for you to make even the slightest mistake that could result to your downfall. It was for this that Naminé slightly envied Kairi, Sora, and Riku; their natural charisma was what made them Destiny High royalty. Naminé, on the other hand, found herself so occupied with fitting in and keeping her status that she all but lost sight of who she was.

Oh well, all in the life of one Naminé Suzumiya.

Once she reached the station, she found the others were already there. Kairi and Sora were – as usual – innocently flirting, while Riku was reading some sports magazine. They all said their greetings and quickly boarded the train. (Apparently, they had already gotten her a ticket beforehand.)

The train reached the station of Twilight Town about half an hour later. Sora and Riku were practically jumping up and down in excitement. Naminé giggled and Kairi rolled her eyes at the boys' antics, all the while following the two into the heart of the city. Despite the X-Games being a huge (and apparently, 'in-crowd', as Riku had so eloquently put it) thing, it definitely wasn't Naminé's scene of choice. It wasn't Kairi's either, seeing as her indigo eyes have been glued towards the bazaar conveniently located beside the grounds ever since they got here.

"Ooh! Sora, look at those!" She said, spying a pair of earrings. With that, she took off, dragging her boyfriend behind her. Was it her imagination, or did Kairi give her a devious smile before leaving? Nevertheless, the situation left Naminé alone with Riku. She resisted the urge to groan out loud. Her best friend _did_ have a smirk on her face.

She should've known.

For quite some time now, the auburn-haired girl has been encouraging Naminé to go out with Riku. Her excuse was that 'since the King and Queen were together, the Prince and Princess should be too.'

Fat chance, Kairi. If there was one thing the blond would never let society dictate, it'd be her love life.

Riku, meanwhile, was too busy being starstruck to notice Sora and Kairi's absence. He was frantically looking around, taking in every sight he saw.

"Holy--! It's _the _Xehanort! I'll go get an autograph. Be right back, Naminé!"

Now, as much as Naminé disapproved of Kairi's matchmaking scheme, she didn't want to be all by her lonesome even more.

"Riku! Don't leave me-- here." She huffed. Riku had bolted and didn't even bother waiting for her. How thoughtful.

And that's how she ended up here, in the middle of a very big square, lost amidst the sea of skaters, completely alone.

This wasn't how she thought she would spend her free day.

Out of the corner of her vision, she spotted a head of spiky blond hair. She noticed it was a boy, about her age maybe. Naminé thought he was probably one of the competitors. Having nothing better to do (she only came here on Kairi's insistence; it's not as if she really wanted to be here), she kept her eyes trailed on this peculiar boy who'd caught her attention.

He wore a cream-colored jacket with a red collar and black checkered patterns printed on it, a black zip-up shirt under that, black and khaki two-tone pants, and black shoes with red belts on them. Around his left wrist was a black and white checkered wristband, and on the same hand he wore a black ring on his index finger and a white one on his middle finger. From her spot a few meters away, she could spot something glinting off the top of his shirt - a pendant? Well, whatever. It wasn't his skater look that drew her attention, anyway. Nor was it the huge pair of glasses sitting completely out of place on the bridge of his nose. It was the fact that he looked familiar...

"Roxas...?" She asked inquisitively. Roxas Kaminari was someone you'd never think would be within a ten mile radius of this place. And it wasn't because he was a city or two away from home. He was known as Destiny High's resident geek, complete with the thick black-rimmed glasses. He was incredibly smart, and - from what she's heard - not very sociable with his peers.

To put it simply, he was an outcast.

She didn't know much about him, except that he was related to Sora. Yeah, Sora - Destiny High's King - and Roxas - the nerd Nobody - were twin brothers.

Anyway, Roxas was there at the Twilight Town X-Games. Naminé had a bit of a hard time believing it, but he really was there. Curious, (and besides, Riku totally bailed on her.) she followed him.

The spiky-haired blond was sneaking around, his head turning this way and that a few times, as if searching for someone who might recognize him. She had to give him credit; the way he moved was smooth and swift, like some sort of jungle cat. She could bet her entire life savings that nobody in her grade knew he could move like that.

Once he was sure nobody from school would recognize him, (Naminé miraculously avoided his line of sight.) Roxas straightened up released a huge breath of air and turned around. Smirking, his fingers inched up to take off his glasses, and Naminé – hiding behind a large white tent a few feet in front of him – couldn't help but gasp slightly.

His eyes were _gorgeous._

They were so _blue. _And while he and Sora shared the same colored orbs, his looked darker, more mysterious, more risqué.

Naminé never loved blue so much until that moment.

Quickly noticing that he was walking towards her, she hastily moved behind the tent and pressed herself against the cool wall. She could hear Roxas' footsteps coming to a stop, and then continuing inside the tent. A voice spoke up once he entered.

"Roxas! How's it goin', bud?"

"Not bad, Axel." That was Roxas' voice. There was no way she could mistake that rich, velvety voice that only a Kaminari boy could own.

"You're late, Blondie. We're on. Like, _right now_." This time, it was a female's voice who talked.

"Cut me some slack, Larx." Roxas replied. "I came straight from the station. I knew it was a bad idea to make Demyx book my ticket." Sounds of rustling could be heard from her position outside. Clothing, maybe?

"Well, get ready, Thirteen! It's time we give them one heck of a show!" The first voice spoke up one last time before the tent's drapes flew open and out stepped three figures. All of them wore a stylish black hooded jacket with the hoods drawn up, making it impossible for Naminé to completely see their faces. As she looked on, she began to notice the characteristics of each person there.

One of them - the tallest - was slim, but the build was undoubtedly masculine. Underneath his hood, he wore black jeans, red Converse, and a gold 'VIII' pendant was on the left collar of his jacket. Spikes of red hair could to be seen beneath the black denim of the hood. While she couldn't see his eyes, she did see green tear-shaped tattoos right below where she thought his eyes were. Beside him, a girl stood, wearing dark washed skinnies which tucked into black boots. Like the tall guy, she had a pendant on her jacket as well, but hers was in the shape of 'XII'. Two antennae-like strands of blond hair stuck out of her hood. Finally, the shortest of the bunch, had 'XIII' on his jacket. Naminé could tell this was Roxas; he still wore the same pants and shoes she saw him in a while ago, and there were tufts of spiky blond hair peeking out from underneath his hood.

"Alright!" The tall redhead said, pumping his fist into the air. "Let's kick some ass!" He then raced towards the large sandlot, where the competitions would be taking place. The female scoffed while Roxas chuckled, following their companion in a much more leisurely pace. Naminé followed them once she was a good few feet away. As they neared the X-Game grounds, she heard someone announce the contestants for the last event of the day: skateboarding. The blond girl managed to squeeze herself where the crowd had gathered.

"Alright Twilight Town! Are you ready for this!?" The announcer's question was met by the loud screams of the crowd. "Alright! Next up, let's give it up for the home team, Twilight Town's own Restoration Committee! We have Seifer, Rai, and Fuu!" Many of the locals cheered, but Naminé noticed some people (a crowd of two boys and one girl, in particular) booing the three contestants. The announcer paid no heed and continued.

"And going against them, we have three awesome members of our favorite mystery group!" The crowd erupted into even louder cheers as Roxas and the other two went up, their hoods still drawn. "Competing in today's final event are Numbers VIII, XII, and XIII! Give it up for the legendary Organization XII!" The crowd cheered as the competitors took up their positions. Naminé tilted her head to the side. Legendary Organization XIII? Were they –- was Roxas –- that good? She was about to find out. The normal, popular, Naminé wouldn't give this the time of day; but today seemed to be a special occasion.

"Oh my--" The petite blond girl couldn't help but look in awe. She kept her eyes trailed on the three cloaked figures, the ones who were supposedly very good. Words couldn't even begin to describe the way they moved. It was like they were floating, letting their bodies instinctively take over. She watched Roxas the most out of the three of them, and she was completely blown away. Roxas made complicated twists, turns, flips, and even handstands look like child's play. The tricks he pulled would certainly put Destiny High's so-called extreme skaters to shame. There was even a time when he balanced precariously on the edge, with his board standing vertically on its edges and with him doing a single-handed handstand on the other end. At this point, the crowd – along with Naminé – was all but howling for more.

It went without saying that the Organization was victorious, having beaten Twilight Town's team hands down. The three of them were declared the winners before coming down and going back to their tent, the crowd celebrating their victory. The petite blond followed them, wanting to _absolutely make sure_that the boy she saw was, in fact, Sora's blond twin. Returning to her position behind the large white tent, she listened into the trio's conversation as they stood at the tent's entrance.

"Alright! With the work we've done, Superior will let us eat a ten-star dinner course for sure!" The tall one said, slinging his arms around the other two's shoulders. "Tonight, we celebrate!" Roxas chuckled and moved out of the redhead's hold.

"Sorry, Axel. I can't. There's school tomorrow, remember? I gotta get back to Destiny Islands." The lone female of the group – who now had both of the redhead's arms wrapped around her waist – spoke up.

"Come on, Blondie. Live a little! We'll get you back by tomorrow morning." She scoffed in her honey-coated voice. She seemed more carefree now. A while ago, when they first stood here, she was the epitome of uptight.

"No can do." Roxas replied. "Sora'll wonder where I am, and it's bad enough I left without my sister. Xion is going to murder me when I get home." If she were still unsure as to who he was before, this probably would have erased all doubts in her mind. She didn't think it was possible that there was another sixteen-year-old blond boy named Roxas who had any relation to a boy named Sora and a girl called Xion, and lived in Destiny Islands.

The tall guy – Roxas had called him Axel, right? – simply laughed and said: "Well, then. We might as well have some fun before you leave. Anyone up for sea-salt ice and a round of struggle?" Naminé was so wrapped up in their conversation that she would never have noticed the three other people behind her if it weren't for Kairi's voice coming out of nowhere.

"Naminé! Come on! Our train leaves in ten minutes!" Apparently, Roxas recognized the voice, seeing as he turned towards her direction. The blond girl whipped around so fast that her shoulder bag gained enough momentum to smack a bystander in the face. Thankfully, the brunette boy had enough reflexes to catch it before he could suffer a face plant. Oh, it was Sora.

"Whoa, Naminé!" He began, grinning. "Be careful with that thing. It's deadly." Neither his chuckle nor his joking tone stopped her embarrassed blush from appearing. "By the way, what are you doing hiding behind Organization XIII's tent?" A surge of panic flew up her veins. What would she say?_ 'I thought I saw someone who looked awfully like your brother skating in the X-Games and walk away with first place, so I decided to stalk him.' _If she were him, she wouldn't believe that one bit, especially considering this was _Roxas Kaminari_ they're talking about. She'd have to come up with a lie, and fast.

"N-nothing! It's just... I thought I saw my brother Ven!" Well, Roxas and Ven _did_look alike. Sora, Kairi, and Riku didn't need to know that she just thought of that on the spot, or that Ven was off gallivanting in some remote part of the world with his fiancée Aqua and his best friend Terra. Nope, that'll remain her little secret. "Well then! Time to go, right?" I added, hurriedly pushing them back in the direction they came from.

Before she left, she risked one last glance back at the boy she was ninety-nine percent sure was Roxas. It was stupid, but there was a small part of her that still refused to believe it was him, even with all the evidence pointing to one conclusion. She wanted to see his face, the one proof that couldn't be denied.

But when she looked back, he was gone.

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_'...suddenly the day seemed so much b r i g h t e r.'_

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**Review, dahlings :]**


	2. Tuesday

**Okay, I honestly didn't think I'd get any reviews on this. Imagine my surprise when I do. Seriously. I looked like I won the lottery. The awesome part? There were reviews from some of my idol authors. DUDE. Do you know how much I freaked out!? ;D Anyways, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for reviewing! Without further ado, here's One Week's Chapter Two. (Good Lord, that rhymed! xDD)**

**Disclamer: I don't own KH. I would've kept Roxas to myself if I did. (Yes, I'm a selfish person. Sorry, can't help it when it comes to Roxie 3)**

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**One Week  
**_('I never thought it was possible, but it is.' )_

**Chapter Two - Tuesday**

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_'- - it was a chance meeting, never thought it'd be more...'_

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The next day, she found Roxas sitting on the front steps of the school, black glasses on the bridge of his nose. He was intently reading a thick history book.

It was as if the boy she saw yesterday never even existed.

As she walked towards the school entrance (and inevitably, Roxas), she had half the mind to approach him and tactlessly ask him about his secret life. Problem is, she had no idea how to even begin her inquisition. Although, that wasn't the only reason that stopped her. A small part of Naminé – the one that was a stickler to the popularity code – reminded her of society's rules, particularly the one that says the Royals can't associate with the Nobodies. The blond girl huffed. Whoever made those rules in the first place anyway? This was the twenty-first century, not the Middle Ages.

In the end, she decided not to ask him (The fact that the bell just rang might have influenced her choice, too.) At least, not yet. The blond girl was determined to talk to him today, though, simple as that. After all, she had already resigned herself last night to the fact that the skater she saw yesterday was Roxas. Because let's face it: who else would it be?

Roxas, mysterious skater or not, was a rather diligent student. She saw him get up and head for his first period as soon as the bell had chimed. Not wanting to be late herself, Naminé trudged up the steps and headed for English.

The rest of the morning passed, and Naminé was surprised to find Roxas in most of her classes. It was a miracle she noticed him at all, with his head constantly lowered towards his books like that. He really takes his studies seriously. By the time lunch came around, she had seen the blond boy in three out of five of her morning classes. And now, she saw him sitting alone on a lunch table at the far end of the cafeteria, a few tables away from the Royals' table where she sat. She also noticed how most of the other kids either ignored him, avoided him, or made fun of him. She frowned. High school really was harsh. It was either make or break in here, and for some reason, this boy had gotten the short end of the stick.

"Naminé, what are you looking at?" Selphie, another popular, asked her, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, Selphie." Naminé replied, making sure to take her eyes away from the spiky blond. Nobody needed to know that she was looking at the other (or as society put it, the _wrong)_ Kaminari boy. To make it even more convincing, she began tuning into the table's conversation.

"Hey guys! Looks like there's gonna be a couple of exhibition matches on the islands this Saturday. There's skating, surfing, and even Struggle! Looks like a lot of famous groups are gonna be there." Sora piped up. It was at this time that she noticed the local magazine the brunette had in his hands. Normally, Naminé – like the other girls – wouldn't mind his announcement; but this time, it caught her eye like a large billboard.

"Sora?" She began, catching his attention. "May I borrow that?"

"Sure." Shrugging, he handed her his copy of Destiny Weekly. "What's with the sudden interest? No offense, Naminé, but you aren't exactly the skating type."

"I saw this group of people at the X-Games in Twilight Town yesterday. They were really good. I was just wondering whether they were coming here." She said nonchalantly, flipping through the pages that listed the participants. All the while, her mind was repeating a thought over and over again.

_'Please don't be suspicious, please don't be suspicious, please don't be suspicious.'_

"Oh yeah! The X-Games were awesome!"

"You went to the Twilight Town X-Games!?" Tidus, a friend of theirs, asked. Sora grinned.

"You bet!" Naminé sighed inwardly in relief when everyone in the table listened to Sora's stories.

_'I never thought I'd appreciate a short attention span until today.'_

Returning to the magazine, she leafed through a few more pages before spotting the ones she was looking for. On the first of the glossy papers was a picture of ten, eleven, twelve-- _thirteen_ hooded figures, all wearing the same-styled jacket Roxas wore yesterday. Speaking of Roxas, the Naminé could easily spot him in the picture, despite his shadowed face. On the top of the page was "The Thirteenth Order" in bold, silver letters. Thoroughly interested, the blond girl began reading through the article.

"_It has been announced that the mysterious Organization XIII will be partaking in the exhibition games happening this Saturday on Destiny Islands. Despite being merely a year old, the Thirteenth Order, as they are also called, is already starting to gain international fame. Little information is known about them, except that they are a group of thirteen talented individuals sponsored by Nobody Inc., with each member given their own number and title. In all the times they have shown themselves, they've each worn a black hooded jacket, effectively concealing their faces. But their air of mystery only seems score them more points with their fans. Listed below are each of their members." _Naminé skipped through some paragraphs, stopping at the one mentioning the number she had seen on Roxas' hood.

"_Number XIII is the latest member of the Organization, completing the ranks of the Thirteenth Order. Virtually no information is known about him, other than that he excels in skateboarding, street luge, and Struggle. Oddly enough, this final member was given the title 'Key to Destiny'. Many fans speculate that it is because his presence in their ranks will ensure their success in the events mentioned. So far, it seems he hasn't disappointed their expectations, having won most – if not all – of his contests. Rumor has it that this talented young man is currently in high school, making him the youngest member next to Number IX who is supposedly a college student. Just who is this kid?"_

"Naminé? Class is about to start." Kairi's voice had brought her out of her reading. Looking up, she found that most of the cafeteria was already empty. Huh, the bell must've rang with her noticing.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I didn't hear the bell. Well, I'll see you later, Kairi." Giving her auburn-haired friend one last smile, she picked up her things – including Sora's magazine - and headed for World History. Luckily for her, she made it right before the late bell rang. She quickly sat down at a desk near the middle and looked around.

Wonder of wonders: Roxas was in this class, too.

World History passed with Naminé's eyes drifting towards the blond boy's direction every once in a while. Other than that, nothing was out of the ordinary. Naminé, despite being an avid believer in destiny, was beginning to think that seeing Roxas yesterday was by mere chance – a coincidence, and nothing more. But that all changed ten minutes before the period ended.

"Alright, class." Their teacher had said. "I'm assigning you a project." The whole class groaned at that, but the teacher ignored them. "You will be working by partners, and you will be researching on the Age of Exploration in Europe, particularly the people involved. Naturally, I will be the one assigning your partners and the explorer you will be doing your report on. Reports will be presented on Thursday. As for the partners..." She then began naming the students and their partners one by one. Naminé wasn't particularly listening; her mind kept flitting back to the article she had read during lunch.

"_Key to Destiny.."_

"_--hasn't disappointed... having won most... his contests..."_

"_...currently in high school..."_

"_--Just who is this kid?"_

"Roxas Kaminari and Naminé Suzumiya. You'll be reporting on Christopher Columbus."

The blond junior looked up, caught off-guard by the mention of both her name and her partner's. So she was Roxas' partner now? She couldn't help finding it strange, that the day after she notices him, he suddenly keeps appearing everywhere.

Strange – yet not unwanted, either.

Though, she couldn't say the same for the other teenagers, all of whom were either glaring at Roxas or groaning at the fact that it wasn't them who was partnered to her. Risking (_yet another_) glance at the blond Kaminari, she found him sitting at his desk near the front, looking directly at her. She smiled shyly, which he returned with a small quirk of his lips.

"I'm giving you the rest of the period to talk with your partners and work out a schedule. Go on." With that, everyone reluctantly stood up and headed for their partners. Naminé was about to do the same, but found that Roxas had already approached her and now stood in front of her.

"Hey. Naminé, right?" He said. She nodded and gave him a small smile back.

"Hello, Roxas." His lips quirked at the sides again as he moved to sit down.

"I'm surprised you know my name. Then again, you are a friend of Sora's." Quickly taking out a notebook, he started to write down today's date and their research topic. "So, when do you want to work on this?"

"How about after school today and tomorrow?" She suggested. Roxas nodded.

"Sure. How about we go to the library today to get most of the research done? Then we can just do the presentation and report at my place tomorrow."

"Okay." Silence ensued after that, and Naminé vaguely wondered what he was writing down. But most of her was directed towards one thought.

_'Here's my chance. Do I tell him now?'_

Now, Naminé wasn't an obsessive type of girl; you can ask literally anyone, and they can honestly tell you that Destiny High's Princess never lets anything get to her. But this was different.

_He_ was different.

Ever since she saw Roxas yesterday, he hasn't left her mind at all. That's never happened before; even when she had crushes, the pull she felt towards them couldn't even begin to compare to this. She _had_ to ask him. It wasn't even out of pure curiosity anymore. It was like she_ needed_ to know this boy in front of her, yet another reason why she thought this was more than a coincidental meeting.

Besides, High School was all about make or break, right? And she had a strong feeling that he was all about that saying. Either way, she knew this boy was going to change her life.

She took a deep breath. _'Here goes nothing.'_

"I know who you are." Naminé managed to whisper before her nerves got the better of her. Roxas' fingers ceased moving for a moment, then continued as if they never stopped in the first place. It was so fast that if Naminé weren't watching him intently, she wouldn't have noticed.

"Pardon me?" He asked her. It may have been her imagination, but his voice just then sounded a bit terse.

"I know you're part of that group. Organization XIII." She said, her voice even softer. "You're their last member. Number XIII, the Key to Destiny."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Naminé."

"I saw you yesterday at Twilight Town, at the X-Games. You were with a tall redheaded man and a blond woman. You were very good, by the way." This time, he completely stopped what he was doing and turned his intense gaze to meet her eyes.

"And?" He asked. Naminé was confused. And what?

"What do you mean, 'and'?"

"What will you do about it? Are you going to tell everyone else?"

"What are you-- Of course not!" He seemed surprised by her otherwise hissed outburst. "You didn't honestly think I'd spread this around, did you? Did you think I get a kick out of blurting other people's secrets? I don't know what gossip you've been hearing, Roxas, but I'm not like that." Then Roxas did something that practically floored Naminé.

He smirked.

"I know. And it's good that you said that." He reached into his backpack, pulling out a spiral-bound white book – a sketchbook that looked _awfully _familiar to the blond-haired Princess. "Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate about not give this back. You're a very good artist, by the way."

"H-how... Where did you get this?" She asked, holding up the sketchbook. True enough, it was hers. It had her name printed inside the cover.

"I found it behind our tent. I thought I heard Kairi's voice somewhere near there, and went to check it out once I changed back into my normal clothes. Naturally, nobody was there, but I did see that. When I checked the cover and found that it was yours, I decided to bring it with me to return to you." He explained, then added as an afterthought: "I didn't know you could draw."

Naminé swallowed and told him in a whisper: "That's because nobody does." Well, that was the case until now.

"Oh. I see. Well, you don't have to worry; I won't tell anyone."

The bell rang at that point, signaling the end of this class. Roxas moved to stand and give her a fleeting smile. The flaxen-haired girl, on the other hand, was still frozen on the spot, wide-eyed at her partner. "And that's the bell. See you after school, Princess."

"Wait!" She said, causing him to stop in his tracks. She subconsciously wrapped her arms tighter around her sketchbook, like a security blanket. "You're not going to use it against me and tell anyone? Why not? I mean, not that I'm complaining, but a lot of people would love to have power over someone like me. How are you so sure I wouldn't blurt out _your _secret?" He just shrugged.

"Well, I figure you have some reason why you hide your talent, though I can't imagine why you would. You're popular, and you're very good at what you do. Destiny High would probably only end up loving you more if you showcase your artistic talents. I do understand where you're coming from, though. It's the same thing with me and you-know-what." He smirked at their little inside joke, and despite herself, Naminé felt elated to be sharing one with Roxas Kaminari.

"I'm not the type to seek power or attention, either. You should have known that by now, seeing as I've decided to keep my other life a secret. And I know you'll keep my secret because you're not like the others. You said so yourself. Besides, I trust you." He ended nonchalantly.

The was he said it was like it was nothing at all. But it was enough for Naminé to be stunned into silence. How could he trust her just like that? Roxas, the Nerd Nobody, trusted _her,_ the (so-called) Perfect Princess. She never thought it was possible. Then again, a lot of things about this boy is unconventional. There was always a lot more than what meets the eyes with him. Roxas gave her one last smile before gathering his things and leaving.

"I'll see you later, Naminé."

Naminé spent the rest of the day shell-shocked. She honestly cannot believe that Roxas – the outcasted Nobody – could be so kind. Clearly, society didn't do this boy any justice. It truly wasn't fair that he was at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Now, as she walked towards the library after school, she couldn't help but smile when she saw Roxas already there, sitting on the front steps and reading a World History book. It was exactly like how she found him this morning. Odd how this week was full of so many coincidences.

Her smile got even wider when the blond boy looked up, as if feeling her eyes on him, and smirked back at her. She had to admit, she blushed a bit at that. But it did nothing to put her out of her good mood. Today, Naminé Suzumiya personally met the other side of Roxas Kaminari, and from what she's seen so far, she was going to like this.

_'Maybe... maybe it really was destiny.' _

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_'...then again, it seems Fate has other p l a n s.'_

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**Review! I know this isn't that good (It was scatterbrained for the most part D: ) but I'd love to hear constructive criticism!**


	3. Wednesday

**I'm really sorry this chapter's late. After the last chapter, we had 'Hell Week' in school. Project after freaking project, and then finals the week after that. Then just last month, I had to take advanced math classes (I killed a lot of braincells.) So I'm really sorry I sort of disappeared for three months D:**

**Anyway, back to the story (Oddly enough, Roxas apologizes twice in this story too. You'll just have to read and see what I mean ;D) Here's chapter three. Thanks so much to those people who reviewed~! Greatly appreciated it. I hope you guys haven't lost hope in this story yet.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own KH. I _do_ own this absolutely _adorable_ little Axel keychain, though (They didn't have one of Roxas. *sniff* D: )**

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**One Week  
**_('There's just something about him...')_

**Chapter Three - Wednesday**

_'- - you amaze me with your words and your actions alike…'_

"_So, I was thinking we have a picture for our presentation. Something that shows Columbus discovering the West Indies, maybe."_

"_I think that's a great idea, Roxas; but where are we going to find this picture? I didn't see one in the books we looked in."_

"_Well, I was hoping that you'd draw it."_

"_M-Me? Why?"_

"_I've seen what you're capable of, Naminé. Trust me, you're one of the best I've ever seen."_

"_Really...?"_

"_Of course. I wouldn't lie to you, you know. If you don't want to, though, I won't force you into doing it. So, what do you say?"_

"_...Sure. I'll do it."_

That was what happened yesterday, and honestly? Naminé still can't get over the fact that Roxas had been able to make her say yes. It amazed her to no limits that a boy she knew for barely two days could have such a great influence on her. If it were anyone else, she would've said no flat out; but for him? It seems she would do most things she wouldn't normally do.

Though, she was so anxious last night that she was up until three in the morning, thinking about how to make the portrait for their presentation. Before she and Roxas parted ways, she had promised him that she would try to start early on the Columbus picture, or at least have an idea of what to do. Actually, that was the problem; every time she would get an idea, there would be this tiny voice in her head, asking her: _'Would he like it?' _Over and over again. And as if that wasn't enough, another voice would pipe up, saying: _'Who cares if the Nobody hates it? Certainly not you, Princess.'_

It was like she was arguing with herself, and losing both sides.

It was at that time that her phone rang. Curious, (and besides, at the rate she was going, she wouldn't be sleeping for a while) she picked up her phone and read the message. Surprisingly, it was from Roxas. Naminé knew he would be texting eventually; they did trade numbers after all (she knew it was for the project, but she liked to hope otherwise). What surprised her was his timing, and – of course – what he had written:

"_Don't stress yourself out. Whatever you think of will turn out amazing, trust me. :D 'Night, Naminé."_

Needless to say, she slept quite peacefully afterwards.

And now, here she was at school, about five hours later, thinking about a certain blond boy.

How did he know she would be stressing over their project? It was like he knew her more than she knew herself. Which was saying a lot, because she's only known him for a grand total of two and a half days. Yet, Naminé was grateful. It was refreshing to receive such a kind and sincere gesture from someone she barely knew. Lord knows the blond girl has had too many people be nice to her only because of her status. Roxas wasn't like that, though; he was genuinely nice and really thoughtful, that much Naminé figured out. Though, she had to admit, it did scare her a little that he could read her like an open book.

Nevertheless, she found herself eagerly anticipating the end of the school day. After all, today was the day she would pay a visit to the Kaminari household.

After what seemed like ages to her (For all she knew, a thousand years could've passed), the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. She quickly stood up and packed her things. Unfortunately, Roxas wasn't in this class, nor did she know what class he had. That meant Naminé would just have to walk to his house and meet him there. The blond girl wasted no time and began the trek towards the Kaminari house.

Twenty minutes later (she stopped by her house to get a few supplies for their project), she stood in front of one of the most beautiful homes in the Islands. She's been here before, ages ago, when she and Kairi came to visit Sora. Even back then, as a young girl, the grandeur of the timeless house amazed her. The Kaminari home was quite large; it could be considered a mansion around these parts. Naminé moved towards the front porch steps, and rang the doorbell.

"Hold on a sec!" Came a muffled voice.

The door opened, and Naminé expected Roxas to be on the other side, but she was met with chocolate brown spikes instead of honey blond.

"Oh, hey Nami." Sora said, flashing her his signature goofy grin. "Rox isn't home yet, but he'll be here in a few minutes. He said you can wait in his room." He then returned his eyes to his Blackberry as his fingers flew across the keyboard, presumably texting Kairi.

"Oh, okay." She replied, and then followed him in the house. Silence ensued for a short moment as she sat down on the living room couch and took in the interior of the beautiful home. She was so absorbed that if it weren't for the silence, she would've missed Sora's offhand comment.

"You know, I've never seen Roxas so happy about someone knowing his double life." Naminé's head snapped up as she looked wide-eyed at the brunette. Sora, on the other hand, was still focused on his phone. You would think that he mentioned something as trivial as the weather.

"You... You know?" Technically, it shouldn't be much of a surprise if Sora knew. After all, they did live in the same house. But Naminé thought back to last Monday, and how Roxas said Sora would wonder where he went. If Sora did know about Number XIII, it certainly wasn't mutual.

The brown-haired Kaminari just shrugged and said: "We never talk about it openly, and he usually bonds with Xion over this; but it's kind of hard to keep a secret when you're under the same roof. So it's more on the he-suspects-that-I-know-what-he-does thing."

"Oh. I see." Same old Sora. Even in a conversation like this, he can still talk in a way that makes it completely... Sora. She had to smile at that.

"Naminé? Could you do me a favor?" Sora asked, his face completely serious. Naminé turned her full attention to the boy, wondering what he had to ask. It must be important, seeing as he doesn't normally abandon his usually optimistic demeanor to ask a simple favor.

"Sure, Sora. What is it?"

"My brother's a great guy. I wish the kids at school could see that, but they get so blinded by the status quo. Well, that's partly our faults, too." He said, smiling wryly. "Anyway, if it's alright with you, could you, maybe, be there for him? I know Roxas seems fine with what he has right now, but he could be so much happier. And from what I can see, he's taken a liking to you."

The blond girl just sat there in shock. She knew Sora was a very thoughtful and caring person, but who knew he was this – how should she say it – deep? Reflective? Well, it doesn't matter. What matters now was her response to his favor, but that was just it. How should she reply? Should she accept? Should she decline? She wasn't sure about Roxas _taking a liking to her, _as Sora put it. But she _was _sure of one thing, and that was the only basis for her decision:

_'I don't plan on leaving him anytime, Sora.'_

"Of course, Sora. I promise."

He grinned another cheesy grin. "Thanks, Naminé. I owe you one. Alright! Want some cookies while you wait?"

A few minutes later, she was in Roxas' room, waiting for the blond boy to return. Her heart-to-heart with Sora just left her even more intrigued about Roxas Kaminari. Now, it wasn't just because he was the Organization's youngest member; she wanted to know Roxas, all sides of who he was.

_Now, Princess. Must I remind you not to talk to that boy? _She sighed. Of course, as much as she wanted that to happen, the Little Miss Perfect inside her (as she'd began to call that annoying voice in her head) was just as adamant about steering clear of the blond boy. If only society didn't have a set image of what was 'right' and what was 'wrong'. For all they knew, 'right' (and she's saying this theoretically, but she knew - deep inside her - that this was more than an a hypothetical situation) was somewhere they'd never thought to look. Almost like how Columbus didn't really discover the Indies he was looking for, but it was actually something so much bigger...

Suddenly, as if a light switch had been turned on, she grabbed her sketchbook and furiously began drawing. She now had the _perfect_ idea for their project.

Her burst of inspiration was interrupted by someone opening the door. Roxas poked his head into the room, spotted her, and smiled.

"Hey." He said, entering his room and closing the door behind him. "Sorry I'm late. " She shook her head and smiled at him.

"I understand. You had some... business... to take care of, right?"

He smirked, thoroughly amused by their little inside joke. "Yeah... business. Let's go with that." The spiky haired blond then sat beside her on his bed.

"I really am sorry." He said again with an apologetic smile. "You'd think that I'd be the earlier one, since it _is_ my house and all." He chuckled, and Naminé felt her cheeks heat up at the sound. She shook her head and smiled at him.

"No, it's alright. It gave me some time to think of ideas for the portrait."

"Oh? Great. So, what do you have in mind?" He asked with a kind smile on his face.

"Well, I was thinking..." As she explained her idea to him and showed him her rough sketch, she was inwardly surprised at how intently he was listening. She was grateful, though, especially since this was the first time she ever shared her art with someone. "...What do you think?" Her nerves were frazzled. What if he didn't like it?

Before she could continue that line of thought, Roxas smiled. "That sounds great, Nams. And with your talent, it'll look even better." She blushed, both at his high praise and her nickname.

"Th-Thank you..."

"No problem. Well, I'll leave you to work on that. As much as I'd love to help you, I'll probably end up screwing the portrait. I was never any good at art." He said, embarrassed. Naminé had to laugh. He just looked so... _cute._ "Well, if you need anything, just ask. I'll get to finishing our report."

"Alright."

That was how they spent most of the afternoon; she worked on the portrait, and he did their written report. Every once in a while, he'd turn to her and see how she was doing or ask her opinion on something concerning the oral report they were going to do. Apart from that, they worked in comfortable silence.

It was around five-thirty when both blonds had finished. Naminé felt so proud of her work after showing it to Roxas, especially when said blond boy smiled and congratulated her on a job well done. A job done so well that he insisted she deserved a treat. (Of course, she thought it was very sweet of him. The Kaminari charm runs in the family, apparently.) So here they were, in the kitchen, with Naminé sitting by the marble counter and Roxas rummaging through the refrigerator.

"I still can't get over your drawing, Nams. You really have a talent there." She blushed slightly and thanked him again for his praise. He took out a light blue popsicle from the freezer and held it out to her. "Sea-salt ice?"

"Thanks." She replied gratefully, taking the frozen delight from him and relishing in its salty-sweet taste. She took a look around before asking: "Where's Sora?" She hadn't seen the brunette in a while, and it was awfully quiet in his room when they had passed it.

Roxas took out a popsicle of his own before sitting down across her. "He went to Kairi's for a biology paper. He'll probably be back before dinner."

"Oh." She seemed to ponder another thought. "Hey, Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"I know it's not in my place to ask, but why hide your skater life? You could be just as popular as your brother if you tried." She didn't know what to expect, especially when it came to this boy; but she was pretty sure she didn't expect him to practically quote her thoughts.

"I don't like pretending. When you're popular, you have to watch everything you do. When you're a Nobody, ironically enough, you can be anybody you want. A nerd, a skater; no one cares to notice, and that's how I like it." He replied, shrugging. She found it funny (And not in the 'ha-ha' way, either) that he had the same views on popularity as her. "Simple as that, Princess."

Naminé frowned. "Would you stop calling me Princess?" She didn't notice it at first, but he did call her that from time to time.

Roxas held his hands up in front of him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you or anything." He then tilted his head curiously. "What's so bad about calling you 'Princess', anyway?" The blond girl just sighed and looked down at her half-eaten popsicle.

"It's just... A lot of people at school call me that. It's like they expect me to always be this perfect girl. I don't know. I guess I miss doing the things I used to love doing. Sometimes I wish I could just go back to the time before popularity became everything, you know?" Her eyes turned reminiscent for a moment before she continued: "Like you said; it gets tiring sometimes, putting up a front, all because I'm the 'Princess of Destiny High'." She looked as if her title had left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Then why don't you stop pretending?" She looked up, only to be met with dark, intense, _blue_ eyes.

"What?"

"Just stop acting. Be yourself."

"But I can't... Everyone... My friends won't accept me. Not to mention the whole student body." She said sadly, thinking of Kairi, Selphie (who was an avid follower of the social hierarchy), and everyone else.

"Well, if they really are your friends, they wouldn't have a problem with who you are." He stopped for a moment, making a point. "Naminé, you shouldn't let go of what makes you, well, you, just because it'll help you fit in. People call you 'Princess' at school. Is that the reason why you try so hard to be one? Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." He said, looking pointedly at her as she was about to retort. She slouched imperceptibly before giving a slight nod, indicating that _yes_, she _did _know what he was referring to.

"You don't have to stop doing things you love just because that's what you think society tells you. You don't need to hide behind Princess Naminé all the time, because you know what? I've met the real Naminé; I'm talking to her right now. And you know what I think?" His eyes softened. "I think she's more of a princess than the Princess Naminé I see in school. I may have not known her for a long time, but the Naminé I'm talking to is real, she's who she wants to be, and that's all that should matter." She had to blush at what he just said. Normally, when people told her that, she'd think they were flirting with her. But with Roxas, she knew that wasn't the case (although, a small, almost non-existent part of her wanted it to be.).

"This is just an opinion, but I think you should let the others at school see your true self. If you're not comfortable with showing it to the whole student body, then start with your friends. Start with Sora, Kairi, and Riku. I can't claim to know Riku or Kairi very well, but I know my brother won't abandon a friend because of who she is. If they're really your friends - and trust me; those three really are - they'll accept you and support you. And when you're ready, slowly show the world the face behind the Princess facade. Just take it one step at a time, Nams."

Naminé couldn't help but stare at him. This boy, this blond outcast in front of her, was more amazing than anybody she's ever met. He was her complete opposite (social hierarchy-wise), and yet here she was – sitting in his kitchen, talking to him, _connecting _with him, and learning valuable lessons about herself. She smiled shyly at him, which he returned with a heartwarming smile of his own. Naminé knew she wanted to spend more time with this boy. He gave her strength, he gave her friendship, he gave her some food for thought. Normally, she wouldn't have said all the things she just did; but like she's said before (and Lord knows how many times she's said this), he was different. It was simply _too easy _for her to let go, for her to be herself. Around him, she didn't feel like she had to act, because she knew - she didn't know how, but she just_ knew - _he'd accept her no matter what. He was, hands down, an amazing person.

And, well, she hoped that – just maybe – she could be a little more like him.

_'...i've never seen a soul so b e a u t i f u l.'_

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**Okay, I lied; Roxas apologized three times, not two xDDD**

**How was it? Good? Bad? This-is-total-crap-I'm-clawing-my-eyes-out horrible? Review, and I'll know what you guys think (:**

**Just a heads up: This is only seven chapters long, and will most probably have conversations like the last one between our favorite blonds. 'Course, every once in a while, a little fluff will be added; but for the most part, I wanna keep this story a sort of discovery, turning-point-in-life type of thing for Naminé. Aaannd, if I get enough reviews (and my lazy butt actually agrees to work), I might make a spinoff fic for this. Basically the same plot, only it'll cover Roxie's side of the story. Tell me if you want me to push through with this, 'kay?**

**Also, all the Organization Members are gonna pop up in the fifth chapter (That's all I'll say, no more :D) Anyway, I need ideas for what sport each member excels in (like how Roxas is good in skating, street luge, and Struggle). I already have a few ones planned (Demyx MUST be a surfer ;D) If you have suggestions, leave a review! I'll do my best to accomodate all your ideas.**

**Again, I'm sorry for the delay of this chapter D: Hopefully, you haven't lost faith in this fic!**


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